← The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments

The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments — Page 10

English → Spanish Preface Level 7/10

Lane, all things in the East have changed, and every day witnesses the decay of some old custom, to be followed by a bastard European imitation.

Lane, todas las cosas en el Oriente han cambiado, y cada día es testigo de la decadencia de alguna antigua costumbre, para ser seguida por una bastarda imitación europea.

During Mohammad 'Alee's rule, all traces of the state and circumstance of the Memlook court gradually passed away.

Durante el reinado de Mohammad 'Alee, todos los rastros del estado y las circunstancias de la corte Memlook desaparecieron gradualmente.

European dress has displaced oriental costume, cloth of gold, and dresses of honour; European architecture elbows the quaint beauty of the old Arab capital; and the cavalcade of fifty horsemen around a grandee is succeeded by an English carriage that profanes the quiet streets of the city, and frightens away both 'Efreets and their memory.

El vestido europeo ha desplazado el traje oriental, los tejidos de oro y los vestidos de honor; la arquitectura europea codea la pintoresca belleza de la antigua capital árabe; y la cabalgata de cincuenta jinetes alrededor de un grande es sucedida por un carruaje inglés que profana las tranquilas calles de la ciudad, y ahuyenta tanto a los 'Efreets como su recuerdo.

Mr. Lane saw the last of Cairo in its integrity; and he has not overstated his qualifications, as author of the "Modern Egyptians," for the task of translating the Arabian Nights.

El Sr. Lane vio El Cairo por última vez en su integridad; y no ha exagerado sus cualificaciones, como autor de los "Egipcios Modernos", para la tarea de traducir Las Mil y Una Noches.

Of the copy from which this translation was made, and the method observed in its execution, I may again quote the preface to the first edition.

De la copia a partir de la cual se realizó esta traducción, y del método observado en su ejecución, puedo citar nuevamente el prefacio de la primera edición.

Mr. Lane says,--

El Sr. Lane dice:--

"I have taken as my general standard of the original text the Cairo edition lately printed; it being greatly superior to the other printed editions, and probably to every manuscript copy.[1]

"He tomado como mi estándar general del texto original la edición de El Cairo impresa recientemente; siendo muy superior a las otras ediciones impresas, y probablemente a todo manuscrito copiado.[1]

It appears to agree almost exactly with the celebrated MS. of Von Hammer, than which no copy more copious, I believe, exists; and contains all the tales in the old version except those which, as Von Hammer says, Galland appears to have taken from other works, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, in the Royal Library of Paris.

Parece coincidir casi exactamente con el célebre manuscrito de Von Hammer, del cual no existe, creo yo, ninguna copia más copiosa; y contiene todos los cuentos de la versión antigua excepto aquellos que, según dice Von Hammer, Galland parece haber tomado de otras obras, árabes, persas y turcas, de la Biblioteca Real de París.

Vocabulary

todas
All, every; feminine plural form of todo
las
The; feminine plural definite article in Spanish
cosas
Things; objects or matters of any kind
en
In, on, at; common Spanish preposition of location
el
The; masculine singular definite article in Spanish
Oriente
The East; refers to Eastern or Oriental regions
han
Have; third person plural of haber as auxiliary
cambiado
Changed; past participle of cambiar, to change
y
And; basic coordinating conjunction in Spanish
cada
Each, every; used before singular nouns
día
Day; a unit of time, one full day
es
Is; third person singular present of ser
testigo
Witness; a person who observes or attests
de
Of, from; very common Spanish preposition
la
The; feminine singular definite article in Spanish
decadencia
Decadence, decline; deterioration of something over time
alguna
Some, any; feminine singular indefinite adjective
antigua
Ancient, old; feminine adjective describing old things
costumbre
Custom, habit; a traditional or habitual practice
para
For, in order to; preposition indicating purpose
ser
To be; fundamental Spanish verb of identity
seguida
Followed; feminine past participle of seguir
por
By, through, for; versatile Spanish preposition
una
A, an; feminine singular indefinite article
bastarda
Bastard, illegitimate; impure or debased feminine form
imitación
Imitation; a copy or mimicry of something else
europea
European; feminine adjective relating to Europe
Durante
During; preposition indicating time span or period
reinado
Reign; the period of a ruler's rule
todos
All, everyone; masculine plural form of todo
los
The; masculine plural definite article in Spanish
rastros
Traces, tracks; remnants or signs left behind
del
Of the; contraction of de and el
estado
State, condition; also past participle of estar
circunstancias
Circumstances; conditions surrounding an event or situation
corte
Court; the royal or official court of a ruler
desaparecieron
Disappeared; third person plural preterite of desaparecer
gradualmente
Gradually; in a slow, step-by-step manner
El
The; masculine singular definite article in Spanish
vestido
Dress, garment; clothing worn on the body
europeo
European; masculine adjective relating to Europe
ha
Has; third person singular of haber as auxiliary
desplazado
Displaced, replaced; past participle of desplazar
traje
Suit, costume; a complete set of clothing
oriental
Oriental, Eastern; adjective relating to the East
tejidos
Fabrics, tissues; woven materials or textiles
oro
Gold; precious yellow metal, or golden color
vestidos
Dresses, garments; plural of vestido, clothing items
honor
Honor; respect, dignity, or a distinction awarded
arquitectura
Architecture; the art and science of designing buildings
codea
Elbows aside, jostles; from codear, to elbow out
pintoresca
Picturesque; visually charming or quaint, feminine form
belleza
Beauty; the quality of being attractive or pleasing
capital
Capital city; the main city of a country or region
árabe
Arab, Arabic; relating to Arab people or culture
cabalgata
Cavalcade; a procession of riders on horseback
cincuenta
Fifty; the cardinal number 50
jinetes
Riders, horsemen; people who ride horses
alrededor
Around; in a circle surrounding something or someone
un
A, an; masculine singular indefinite article
grande
Large, great; adjective describing big size or importance
sucedida
Succeeded, replaced; feminine past participle of suceder
carruaje
Carriage; a horse-drawn wheeled vehicle for passengers
inglés
English; relating to England or the English language
que
That, which, who; common Spanish relative pronoun
profana
Profanes, desecrates; to treat something sacred with disrespect
tranquilas
Quiet, calm; feminine plural adjective meaning peaceful
calles
Streets; plural of calle, public roads in a city
ciudad
City; a large urban settlement or municipality
ahuyenta
Scares away, drives off; from ahuyentar, to frighten
tanto
So much, as much; indicates a large degree
a
To, at; common Spanish preposition of direction
como
As, like, how; used for comparison or manner
su
His, her, its, their; possessive adjective in Spanish
recuerdo
Memory, souvenir; recollection of a past experience
Sr
Mr.; abbreviation of señor, title for adult men
vio
Saw; third person singular preterite of ver
última
Last, latest; feminine superlative adjective of último
vez
Time, occasion; instance of something occurring
integridad
Integrity; moral uprightness, completeness, or wholeness
no
No, not; basic Spanish negation word
exagerado
Exaggerated; overstated or amplified beyond truth
sus
His, her, their; plural possessive adjective in Spanish
cualificaciones
Qualifications; skills or credentials for a role
autor
Author; a person who writes books or texts
Egipcios
Egyptians; people from or relating to Egypt
Modernos
Modern; relating to contemporary or present-day times
tarea
Task, assignment; a piece of work to complete
traducir
To translate; to render text into another language
Las
The; feminine plural definite article in Spanish
Mil
Thousand; the number 1000, part of a title
Una
One, a; feminine form of uno or article
Noches
Nights; plural of noche, the period of darkness
De
Of, from; preposition indicating origin or belonging
copia
Copy; a reproduction or duplicate of a document
partir
To depart, split; also used in a partir de
cual
Which, who; relative pronoun used with article
se
Reflexive pronoun; used with reflexive or passive verbs
realizó
Was carried out, accomplished; preterite of realizar
esta
This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective
traducción
Translation; a text converted into another language
método
Method; a systematic way of doing something
observado
Observed, followed; past participle of observar
ejecución
Execution, performance; the carrying out of a task
puedo
I can; first person singular present of poder
citar
To cite, quote; to reference or mention a source
nuevamente
Again, anew; once more or in a new way
prefacio
Preface; an introductory section of a book
primera
First; feminine ordinal number, the one before second
edición
Edition; a version or printing of a publication
dice
Says, tells; third person singular present of decir
He
I have; first person singular of haber as auxiliary
tomado
Taken; past participle of tomar, to take
mi
My; first person singular possessive adjective
estándar
Standard; a level of quality or norm of reference
general
General; broad, not specific, or a military rank
texto
Text; written or printed words in a document
original
Original; the first or authentic version of something
impresa
Printed; feminine past participle of imprimir
recientemente
Recently; not long ago, in the near past
siendo
Being; gerund of ser, indicating ongoing state
muy
Very; adverb intensifying adjectives or adverbs
superior
Superior; of higher quality or rank than others
otras
Other; feminine plural adjective meaning different ones
ediciones
Editions; plural of edición, versions of a publication
impresas
Printed; feminine plural past participle of imprimir
probablemente
Probably; with a high degree of likelihood
todo
All, every; masculine singular form of todo
manuscrito
Manuscript; a handwritten or typed document or text
copiado
Copied; past participle of copiar, to copy
Parece
It seems, appears; third person singular of parecer
coincidir
To coincide, agree; to match or correspond with something
casi
Almost, nearly; close to but not quite
exactamente
Exactly; in a precise or accurate manner
con
With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
célebre
Famous, celebrated; well-known or renowned person or thing
existe
Exists; third person singular present of existir
creo
I believe, think; first person singular of creer
yo
I; first person singular subject pronoun in Spanish
ninguna
None, no; feminine form of ninguno, not any
más
More, most; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
copiosa
Copious, abundant; containing a large amount
contiene
Contains; third person singular present of contener
cuentos
Tales, stories; short fictional narratives or stories
versión
Version; a particular form or edition of something
excepto
Except; excluding or not including something
aquellos
Those; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun or adjective
según
According to; based on or as stated by
haber
To have; auxiliary verb used to form compound tenses
obras
Works; plural of obra, literary or artistic creations
árabes
Arabic, Arab; plural adjective relating to Arab culture
persas
Persian; plural adjective relating to Persia or Iran
turcas
Turkish; feminine plural adjective relating to Turkey
Biblioteca
Library; a place housing a collection of books
Real
Royal, real; relating to royalty or monarchy
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